From a Judge's Lips to Business Owners' Ears

By By Beth Ewen

Published: 2013.02.18 11:10 AM

Attorney Deborah Coldwell is praising what she calls a particularly eloquent opinion in a recent case her law firm won for franchisor Party City—and she’s not saying that just because Haynes and Boone is the victor in this round.

Stephan Hansbury is the judge, in Superior Court of New Jersey, and his opinion goes step-by-step comparing two contracts between the franchisor and the franchisee in the dispute, Party City of Countryside.

“I think the court is saying that the language of the contract is important,” Coldwell says, “and you can’t as a franchisee really expect more than what you’ve been promised in the contract.” There will be more on the case in the March issue of Franchise Times.

Then she points out this commentary by the judge: “Business is business. Sometimes, businesses/franchisees succeed and sometimes they fail. There are no guarantees of profit in business.”

It’s a true sentiment, and a poignant reality, and the last point to ponder from this blogger until next week.